Display stand for seed packets and the like



Sept. 25, 1962 Filed June 28, 1961 R. D. KOBS DI SPLAY STAND FOR SEEDPACKETS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ROGER .Do Kass @ijM AT TQRNEYS Sept. 25, 1962 o s 3,055,507

DISPLAY STAND FOR SEED PACKETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 28, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ROGER .D. Kass ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,055,507 DISPLAY STANDFOR SEED PACKETS AND THE LIKE Roger D. Kobs, Minneapolis, Minn.,assignor to Northrup, King & Co., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation ofMinnesota Filed June 28, 1961, Ser. No. 120,221 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-49) Myinvention relates generally to display racks and more specifically todisplay stands for seed packets and the like.

Still more specifically, my invention relates to display stands for seedpackets and the like of the knockdown type.

*In seed display stands of the type above described, a number ofhorizontally disposed seed display trays are secured in generallyvertical relationship between a pair of upstanding opposed side wallelements. Obviously, it is desirable to secure as many of these displaytrays to the side walls of the rack as possible; and the limiting factorresides chiefly in the fact that when the trays too closely overlie eachother, it is diflicult to remove seed packets from the trays and/orinsert new seed packets thereinto.

A primary object of my invention is the provision of a novel mountingmeans for the display trays whereby they are detachably, rockablysecured to the side walls of the display stand. This novel arrangementmakes it possible for the seed trays to be rocked forwardly with respectto the immediately overlying tray, whereby to facilitate removal andinsertion of the individual seed packets with respect to the immediatelyunderlying tray.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a seed packetdisplay stand of the type immediately above described wherein therocking movements of the individual trays is limited in oppositedirections beyond a predetermined intermediate display position.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a structure of theclass immediately above described wherein the individual seed displaytrays are gravitybiased toward their intermediate display positions.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class immediately above described which is relatively inexpensive toproduce, is light in weight, and may be knocked down to occupy a minimumof space for storage and shipment.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class generally above described which may be assembled and operatedwith a minimum of skill, and which is rugged and durable inconstruction.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed specification, appended claim and attacheddrawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts orelements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a rack constructed in accordance withmy invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of one of the tray elements of myinvention, some parts being broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section as seen from the line 3-3 of FIG.1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a differentposition of the parts.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, my novel displaystand comprises a pair of opposed upstanding parallel side wall elements1, which are detachably secured together adjacent their rear edges by aback wall 2. Preferably and as shown, the side wall elements 1 tapergenerally towards their reduced upper ends 3, and their enlarged bottomends 4 are formed to provide spaced leg elements 5. Although forming nopart of the 3,055,507 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 as indicated at 6, topermit folding into a minimum of space for storage or shipment. At theirlower end portions 4, the side wall elements 1 are connected by arelatively shallow front wall element or skirt 7.

Adapted to be detachably secured in general overlying relationship oneto the other, between the side wall elements 1 are a plurality ofbasket-like display tray elements, identified in their entireties by thenumeral 8. The tray elements 8 as shown, are formed from wire or otherreticulate metal to afford maximum visibility of the seed packetscontained within the several compartments 8a thereof. Each of the trayelements 8 is substantially identical in mechanical construction,although varying somewhat in overall depth, or size of the particularcompartments 8a, as the situation requires.

At their opposite plate-like ends, the display tray elements 8 areprovided with axially outwardly projecting horizontally disposedplate-like trunnions 9 which, as shown, may be stamped from suitablesheet steel or the like. Adapted to cooperate with the trunnions 9 onopposite ends of the display trays 8 are vertically spaced pairs ofmounting brackets 10 fast on the opposed inner surfaces 11 of the sidewall elements 1. While the mounting brackets 10* may be formed in anumber of ways, they are, preferably and as shown, in the nature ofvertically extended metal straps 12 having laterally inwardly offsetcentral portions 13 which are generally parallel to the inner surfaces11. At their upper and lower ends, the straps 12 are rigidly secured tothe inner surfaces 11, by any suitable means such as spot welding asindicated at 14. The offset portions 13 of each of the bracket formingmetal straps 12 are formed to provide a forwardly and upwardly openinghook portion 15, each specifically comprising rectangular transverseopenings 16 and relatively restricted mouth portions 17. As shownparticularly in FIG. 4, the trunnions 9' have a transverse width greaterthan the vertical thickness thereof. In fact, the transverse dimensionsof the trunnions 9 are greater than the restricted openings defined bythe mouth 17; whereas the vertical thickness thereof is less than theopenings defined by the mouth 17. Therefore, it is necessary to pass thetrunnions 9 through their cooperating mouths 17 when they aresubstantially horizontally disposed as there shown.

The under surfaces 18 of the trunnions 9 are flat, and when trays 8- arein their predetermined display positions, these flat under surfaces 18rest upon flat horizontally disposed lower edges 19 defined by each ofthe openings 16. However, the relative dimensions of the trunnions 9 andtheir cooperating openings 16 are such as to permit limited rockingmovements in opposite directions from said display position, asindicated by dotted lines in FIG.

This arrangement permits forward rocking movement of one tray element 8with respect to a closely overlying tray element 8 to facilitateinsertion and/or removal of seed packets into the several partitions 8a.On the other hand, because of the trunnions 9 being positioned above thecenter of weight distribution of each of the respective trays 8, thetrays 8, under the action of gravity, tend to be maintained in. theirnormal display positions, as indicated in full lines of FIG. 2, themating flat surfaces 18, 19 assuring perfect placement in this regard.

Preferably and as shown, the extreme outer ends of the trunnions 9 aredownturned to provide stop flanges 20 which positively limit axialmovement of the trays 8 with respect to the side wall elements 1 byengagement with the adjacent surfaces 21 of their cooperating mountingbrackets 12.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while Ihave shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to bespecifically understood that the same may be modified Without departurefrom the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A display stand for seed packets and the like comprising, a pair ofopposed parallel side walls, a back Wall connecting said side walls, aplurality of seed packet display trays, pairs of cooperating brackets onsaid side walls, and cooperating trunnions on opposite ends of each ofsaid trays, said trunnions each having a transverse width greater thanthe vertical thickness thereof, said brackets defining restricted mouthportions of less width than that of said trunnions but of greater widththan the thickness of said trunnions and having flat seat portionsdisposed below the level of said mouth portions, said trunnions havingflat bottom surfaces engaging the flat seat portions of said brackets todispose said trays in predetermined display positions but permittingrocking movements of said trays on horizontal axes extendinglongitudinally of said trays, said brackets having portions opposed tosaid seat portions for engagement with said trunnions to limit saidrocking movements of the trays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.180,177 Crisafi Apr. 30, 1957 515,949 Bond Mar. 6, 1894 2,192,243 RogersMar. 5, 1940 2,785,036 Elsden-King Mar. 12, 1957 2,886,183 Crosby May12, 1959

